A United News & Media-backed avatar-based chat site, which launches this week, aims to be the UK's first online shopping mall targeting children.
Sub-club.com hopes to capture the under-18 market with a combination of 3-D chat and e-commerce. Commercial partners signed up so far include Fonehouse, Schuh, Oxbow and Micro Skate Scooter. Children will be able to buy goods through a payment system developed by WorldPay which enables them to put money in their own accounts, rather than going through their parents. Each account holds a maximum of £100, can only be emptied twice every two weeks, and can't be used on any other site.
The site is recruiting further shopping partners by asking children which shops they'd like, and then approaching those retailers. Co-founder and chief executive Naomi Gidney says that the site has been built wholly in consultation with a panel of children and incorporates their suggestions.
"Most e-commerce sites aren't designed with children in mind," said Gidney. "We talked to them and they said they wanted something that matched what they do offline. Kids shop offline in packs, but the experience of online shopping is very solitary, so the chat element is very important.
"It's a proper shopping mall - a massive complex that they can roam around for hours."
The site, which has media giant United as its main backer, will be divided into zones, covering areas like entertainment, shopping, chat and charity.
Barnardo's has signed up to the charity section, and TV presenters Ant and Dec will contribute content to the entertainment zone.
As well as earning revenue from e-commerce, the site will carry ads, mainly as sponsorship and product placement.
United News & Media debuts online shopping mall for kids.
A United News & Media-backed avatar-based chat site, which launches this week, aims to be the UK's first online shopping mall targeting children.
Sub-club.com hopes to capture the under-18 market with a combination of 3-D chat and e-commerce. Commercial partners signed up so far include Fonehouse, Schuh, Oxbow and Micro Skate Scooter. Children will be able to buy goods through a payment system developed by WorldPay which enables them to put money in their own accounts, rather than going through their parents. Each account holds a maximum of £100, can only be emptied twice every two weeks, and can't be used on any other site.
The site is recruiting further shopping partners by asking children which shops they'd like, and then approaching those retailers. Co-founder and chief executive Naomi Gidney says that the site has been built wholly in consultation with a panel of children and incorporates their suggestions.
"Most e-commerce sites aren't designed with children in mind," said Gidney. "We talked to them and they said they wanted something that matched what they do offline. Kids shop offline in packs, but the experience of online shopping is very solitary, so the chat element is very important.
"It's a proper shopping mall - a massive complex that they can roam around for hours."
The site, which has media giant United as its main backer, will be divided into zones, covering areas like entertainment, shopping, chat and charity.
Barnardo's has signed up to the charity section, and TV presenters Ant and Dec will contribute content to the entertainment zone.
As well as earning revenue from e-commerce, the site will carry ads, mainly as sponsorship and product placement.
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